*Siri enters grinning…as usual ;) *
Hey everybody! Thanks so much for the great reviews! I'm thrilled that you're all still reading and enjoying!
Lina Skye: Oh dear! Hello there Lina. ;) Lina I think you may have a chronic disease of taking things a little too literally ;D Hey Lina! No slash jokes please…or I'll tell Eomer where you are. *grins a truly terrifying grin* =D Ooh dear! Uh we still need Kallomore you know! Eep! Lina! Oh man. There goes another villain ;)
Laswen Silmeiel the Celtic Elf: Oh thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying it! Now if I *TOLD* you that would give something away! =D But don't worry this chapter will answer your question. :D
Carrie S: *hands over tissue* I'm sorry Carrie! I'm glad you liked Erynbenn so much! We're always happy when our OCs are likeable characters…did he die…uhm…I can't really answer that. =) *hands over more tissue* I guess we'll see!
Lady Sandry: I'm glad you liked the description of Kallomore. I think I had an idea in my head when I wrote it but was a little lost on how to describe him, I'm glad it worked! Now the question is did we end up with the same image? ;) Of course you're clever Sandry! =D *laughs* Yes if you can face Elrond and Galadriel you can face anyone! Hey let us not forget The Mouth of Sauron and Lurtz ;D Oh I'm glad you like Idhrin! He was a very interesting character to develop mainly because he's so much older than Aragorn, I'm glad you like him! Hm. Maybe Cassia and Sio are trying to figure out who their faithful readers are *grins* j/k! ;) Well they'll be back soon! Best wishes on your test!
Lurker_elf: *laughs* I'll remember that library bit! *calls all libraries in world and warns* ;D I'm very glad that works! It's was sort of a strange idea I ran wild with and I'm glad it doesn't come out wrong! Ah yes…the hand…another thing I sort of went wild with; Sarah just about killed me over that one [*Sarah pokes her head in briefly* You're darn right! Shouldn't go freaking people out like that.] ;D Yes! The 'poisoned milk' was Sarah's and I thought that was a very apt description! [*Sarah pauses mid-exit* You are both so sweet to me! J ] *laughs* Yes well, that's the nice thing about OC villain servants: they can be just as literal minded as we please ;D I think that does happen a lot with villains, interesting point! Maybe it's just the old guy bad-guys, and their jewelry of course ;) *smiles sheepishly* Yeah well we didn't think you'd all take the character death thing so seriously! *ducks flying objects* Yeah, sorry 'bout that ;D *laughs* Want some help with those books Lurker?
Karina: [*Sarah pops in for a minute* Alas, even Dúnedain can't always be on time! I think we were trying to make a point, though we weren't sure how well it would come through. :) Horror? Mystery? Not really, though it's highly complimentary of you to suggest it has those qualities in such abundance. ;) *curtsies and blushes* Glad our action suited — particularly the misunderstanding with the sword. :D *tries to picture small, pixilated Aragorn with a nose the size of a potato and a red hat on* EEP! It is indeed far too late for this sort of thing. ;D Here, I'll give you back to Hannah now; 16 was her chapter. J ] *Siri continues on* Yes! Dear Erynbenn…well…time will tell! =) *laughs* Kallomore probably IS a cursed pirate or something! Well, Black Numenorean, I suppose that's pretty close, he should've been a Corsair! =D You are a wonderful reviewer Karina! I mean you took the trouble to catch up on every single chapter with lengthy detailed responses! =D Aragorn and Legolas doing laundry is quite a mental picture, yeah they really should find something useful to do with their time! ;D
Suzi9: Poor Nwalmai? Well that's a first ;D Actually we don't really fight (flattered that you even asked!), but we've probably seen too many Matrix-esque movies ;D I'm glad you're enjoying it! =D
Well, here ya go! The chapter at last!
*Siri ducks out*
______________________________________________________________________________
Darkest Night
By Sarah and Hannah (Siri)
(disclaimers, explanations, and summaries
available at the top of chapter 1)
Chapter 17
Eression
"Hold," Legolas repeated, his tone lowering the moment he realized he'd obtained the man's attention. Kallomore locked eyes with the elf but did not move his fingers from the ranger's throat. Legolas could feel his heart hammering somewhere in his head and tried to swallow it back down into his chest. "Kill the ranger…" he said slowly and deliberately, "and I shall kill your captain." Legolas could feel a cold whisper murmuring around him though he had no idea from whence it came. He only held his captive tightly on the floor and hoped that this would buy him even a few minutes in which to plan.
Eression looked up slightly at his lord and Legolas slowly followed his gaze.
Kallomore had paused and though he still refused to release Aragorn, his fingers did not increase in pressure. He only stared from Legolas to his captain and back to Legolas.
Something like uncertainty seemed to hang in those bitter gray eyes but the elf could not be sure he had really seen it, for in another moment it disappeared.
It had not occurred to Legolas that the capture of his captain would have any effect on the man, but now that the elf knew he moved to press his point. Forcing Eression further towards the ground Legolas gave a meaningful look towards the crazed man and again he saw Kallomore pause as the man on the floor flinched.
Idhrin's blade swung again into the shadow and sliced through the flesh under the creature's jaw so that blood poured from the wound. The creature hissed like a serpent at its attacker, the sound bubbling through its blood, but Idhrin did not waste time: he had to push whatever advantage he gained. Throwing his weight behind the blade, he thrust it for the chest. He was rewarded with another angry cry and he smashed the blade against the Nwelmai's muzzle, moving closer and closer to its face.
Idhrin could not have known what a mistake this was.
Slashing again and again and the creature's face, trying to keep it occupied so that it would not have a chance to attack with its fangs, he was unaware of the clawed foot that the creature raised up behind him, trailing smoke as it moved.
Halbarad turned from the Nwelmai he had been fighting as Moranuen shot its skull full of arrows, luring its attention away again. He felt the tremor of his fatigue and adrenaline sweeping through him, causing his hands to shake. He watched with almost detached confusion as the elven warrior drove both his blades into the beasts neck, his eyes flaming and his mouth fixed in a snarl as he screamed out some elven war cry and slashed again, this time across the Nwelmai's sunken eyes.
Looking about Halbarad saw Idhrin fighting a creature quite close. The Dúnadan had the beast pinned under his accurate blows at the creature's eyes, muzzle and skull.
It raised a paw to fend off the attack — no…
Halbarad watched in horror as the Nwelmai's shadowed claws slid around behind Idhrin, forcing the ranger forward towards its fangs.
Idhrin realized what the monster was doing a moment and a eon too late.
With an abruptly clear awareness he felt his heart pound in his ears as he was pushed towards his end. He could hear someone call his name, he could hear the rubbing of his palm on the pommel of his sword as he hefted it. Letting out one last powerful cry he thrust his blade into the creature's open throat.
"Idhrin!" Halbarad shouted across the ravine.
In a flicker of movement and teeth sinking into vital flesh, the monster had struck.
The elder man fell to the ground, his gray hair spreading about him in the dust. His farseeing eyes closed slowly as his body gave a final tremble and went still. Swift, but horrible. Idhrin was gone.
Halbarad felt his weary anger rising into fierce rage and it grew like a fire as the creature drew back, clawing at the sword in its throat which was preventing it from devouring its prey.
Halbarad raised his own sword to shoulder height. Throwing all caution to the wind, he charged the beast screaming out what he well knew may be his last cry in battle. With Idhrin departed for the Halls, death for the rest of them would not wait long.
Slowly, very slowly, Kallomore's attention was drawn from his hold on Aragorn. His fingers loosened only slightly and the ranger knew it might well be the only chance he had.
Moving with sudden ferocity he jerked back against the man's grip, loosing his pinned left arm and swinging it up to the hand on his throat. His fingers closed over the decaying hand and he felt the burn of ice as his finger brushed the ring the man wore. It seemed to hum beneath his touch, throbbing, pulsing, beating like a living thing.
A living thing.
And like a wash of light, he knew. Knew the only way to stop the man. Prying the fingers from his throat with a new found strength, Aragorn twisted forwards out of the man's reach.
At that same moment Eression also tried to escape. Jerking backward abruptly he knocked the elf aside just far enough to gain his feet, but he had done nothing to loosen the grip on his arms. Legolas pulled the captain back instantly and turned desperately towards Aragorn, knowing that all he could do for his friend now was keep the other enemy at bay.
Kallomore was quickly trying to recover his loss of control. His eyes turned fiery with rage as he lunged at Aragorn.
The Dúnadan stumbled forward to his knees and found his sword laying beside him. Feeling the presence of the man rushing up behind him he snatched the blade up and whirled in the same swift movement.
With resolute purpose he brought the Numenorean blade up above his head. It flashed like lightning as it descended, humming like wind through a chasm, and with a great cry Aragorn severed Kallomore's decayed hand from his wrist in one stroke.
Stumbling back, Kallomore gave a horrible scream. Unhindered, the ranger gained his feet and swinging the sword low he knocked the ring from the detached hand. The evil token sang across the stone floor.
Aragorn moved slowly and deliberately to the ring's resting place, his blade held tightly in his hand.
No. Not only a blade, for such swords as this were now few in Middle Earth, having been buried with dead in the Barrow Downs. It was a blade forged for kings. For the very kings that had destroyed this wicked realm — that had brought it to its knees.
The sword seemed to tremble in the hands of the heir of the kings of Numeneor as Aragorn raised it again.
As the blade struck the ring a mighty tremble seemed to shake all through the tower. A crash of lighting pounded the darkness. Kallomore howled in pain. The wind began to blow as a storm through the chamber. The images on the wall shrieked one last time in agony, crying their misery to the maelstrom as it bore them away to their dark hell.
The elf and ranger could hear the high scream of the great Nwelmai buried in the tunnel as its bones were at last crushed beneath the weight of the stones and its new mortality. Aragorn hefted the blade one last time and smashed the ring again. With a sharp crack both gem and sword exploded into glittering shards. The black metal band, sheared in two, seemed to melt into dust and be drawn away on the wind that still shrieked through the room, carrying all manner of the evil with it. Thunder pounded in the sky. Lightning snapped like a ringing whip. The wind gave one final howl.
And all was silent.
Halbarad's hand flashed in between the Nwelmai's gnashing teeth and caught the hilt of Idhrin's sword, wrenching it from the dark hollow of its bleeding throat. Driving his own blade into the creature's tail as it tried to come around behind him, he swung his second weapon across its muzzle and then slid away a few paces before striking again. Both blades reached the Nwelmai's chest and he drove them viciously into the shadow's heart, unsure what he would do from there. Withdrawing Idhrin's sword, he struck towards the eyes, the shoulder, and into its chest again. Wild fury had taken the Dúnadan and he would see the creature felled if it took the last of his breath.
Then, as he jerked both swords free again, he was suddenly struck that the creature had not reacted. It had screamed in agony as the creatures always had, but it had not attacked. Halbarad felt his heart hammer violently in his chest as he took a long step backwards. The beast was lying on the ground looking more like a shadow than ever before; it seemed to be fading as it panted and choked on its own cries.
Halbarad watched in absolute shock as the Nwelmai began to disintegrate before his eyes. Withering into shadow, it began to bleed profusely from every wound it had sustained from Halbarad and Idhrin's attacks.
The Nwelmai was dying.
The Dúnadan turned to see that the battle had ceased everywhere. Nwelmai fell suddenly prey to their fatal wounds, writhing as they faded in their death throes. The one before Moranuen had turned to black ash at his feet and was being born away on the wind.
Bartho was pulling a body from the dust of another. It was Erynbenn, but at this distance Halbarad could not tell if the young man still lived.
Suddenly a howling whirlwind shook the canyon around them. Breaking as though from the sky it took up the ashes and dust and shadow that had been the Nwelmai and bore them all from the valley, raking them back into the unnatural clouds.
A final pained shriek echoed back to the Dúnedain, then all around them became quiet.
Halbarad sank to his knees and reached over to touch Idhrin's still form… the only Dúnadan to die in the fight against the Nwelmai. A miracle. And a tragic loss.
The only Dúnadan?
Halbarad turned and moved slowly to Bartho's side.
Aragorn let out a long, slow breath and turned wearily in time to see Kallomore, suddenly as pale as a wight, fall limply to the floor.
"No!" Eression cried suddenly, pulling against Legolas' hold with a desperate strength. "No! Release me! Release me! FATHER!"
At this last Legolas immediately let go of the struggling man. Eression ran to Kallomore's side, all semblance of the façade he had been building since childhood gone as he took the withered man up in his arms.
Aragorn walked slowly back towards them, the sword still clutched in his hand though its silver blade was now nothing but a few inches of jagged steel.
In shock and some confusion Legolas stared at the captain, who was now weeping openly over the dying man in his arms.
"Father… please, Father! It is Eression… it is your son…"
Kallomore's breath seemed barely to come as his silver eyes, eyes that matched Eression's, slid slowly open. He looked up into the man's face and suddenly appeared very different to Aragorn.
He was tired, worn, and drained. A stern, proud man he had been once. Perhaps even an affectionate one in his own way. Long ago. Now he was old and it was as though he were already long dead, but merely unable yet to escape the bonds that trapped him in the waking world.
Looking up into Eression's eyes he saw the tears there and smiled slightly, though it was not the grotesque smile of the black specter any longer.
"Eression," Kallomore whispered. Spending the last of his strength he reached up with his one hand and touch his son's cheek, gently wiping the tears away. "My son…I have been a fool." Then Kallomore's hand dropped suddenly and his eyes fluttered closed before he went limp in his son's arms.
"No…" Eression breathed. His broken heart could be heard in his voice as he gently rocked the form of his father, his weeping soft and muffled in the dead man's shoulder.
Legolas turned to see Aragorn moving slowly towards them, his eyes compassionate as he moved behind the captain.
Tenderly, Aragorn lay a hand on the man's shoulder. Eression stiffened and seemed to expect he was to follow his father to the grave… It was as he deserved, he could not deny that. With painful clarity he sensed the weight of his past actions and he felt no pride in them… he had been a fool as well.
"Eression," Aragorn said softly. "He is free…"
Eression nodded slowly.
"We need you to aid us now," Aragorn said after a moment. "We must find my brothers… the sons of Elrond, do you know where they are?"
Eression nodded again, turning his eyes up to meet Aragorn's.
"All is not lost. You yet live Eression; it is your choice whether or not you will help us. Yours alone. And I cannot force you to make it…" Aragorn trailed off and met the other man's eyes steadily.
Eression turned his gaze back to his father, breathing softly. The chamber was silent around them, no longer haunted by the whispers of evil and voices of death. At last he moved the fallen man's head to the floor beside him and rose. Looking first at Legolas, then turning to Aragorn, he gave a short nod.
"I will show you where they are," he said at length, his voice regaining a measure of its former strength. Without another word he started for a door at the opposite end of the chamber. Legolas and Aragorn followed quickly, leaving the dark room at their backs and following the captain down the steps outside.
None then saw the shining, poison green eyes that flashed in the shadows outside the door as they passed through.
"Come on lad," Bartho whispered gently, holding Erynbenn's fragile form against him. He knew full well that the young man likely had more broken than whole ribs left in him. He could only hope it was not worse.
Bartho became aware of Halbarad just behind him and let out a breath.
"His pulse is weak," the man reported in a low voice. "But it's still there."
Halbarad dropped beside the other ranger, watching the young man in his arms carefully.
"Come, Erynbenn, just breathe. I know it hurts you…" The raspy breaths coming from the young man and sounded as though they did indeed cause him great pain.
//Oh Valar,// Halbarad prayed , //don't let him give up. Help him to keep breathing.//
For what seemed like an age but was likely only a few minutes, Bartho held Erynbenn against him, hoping against hope that the Dúnadan's heart would only keep beating.
"What happened?" Halbarad whispered at last.
"He was crushed beneath a Nwelmai," Bartho's voice was strained and seemed very far away. "I don't know how badly…"
Several other Dúnedain lingered close by and Halbarad sent a few to find what provisions they could gather for the wounded.
Bartho held one hand on Erynbenn's forehead and one arm around his waist, feeling the breath come and go. "Don't give in — keep on now."
In another moment Moranuen came on silent feet. He was bloody and looked tired, but he had several bandages for Erynbenn. Moving as carefully as they could the two men and the elf bandaged their companion's chest, setting as many of the broken ribs as they could, and each time sending the young man through such a spasm of pain that Halbarad feared he would yet die in their arms.
With Idhrin's former command now resting upon his own shoulders, Halbarad knew he had to leave Erynbenn with Bartho and see to the others. Moranuen had already moved off to help Malvegil with a bandage the man was trying unsuccessfully to wrap about himself, and Bartho had wounds that would need to be seen to as well, though for the moment he was gruffly ignoring them. Turning, Halbarad started off when a sound akin to a relieved cry turned him back again.
Erynbenn was stirring and slowly he opened his eyes, looking up Bartho.
The young man blinked; perhaps because he was having trouble focusing, or perhaps because Bartho was actually smiling faintly at him.
"Do I want to remember what happened?" the younger Dúnadan asked, working around his sluggish lips as best he could; he hurt everywhere.
"Probably not," Bartho's smile broadened a fraction.
"You had us worried Erynbenn," Halbarad smiled openly at the young man as he dropped back down beside him. "I am glad to see you are well."
"I don't *feel* well," Erynbenn protested.
"That's only natural," Bartho grunted, his smile gone but his eyes betraying his relief. "I should be surprised if you don't feel it for quite some time, though perhaps after Aragorn has had a look at you he will say differently."
"Aragorn," Halbarad repeated slowly, his eyes raising to the tower. Nindalf, who had not sustained many injuries, had already returned to report that the Nwelmai's entrance into the tower was blocked by a cave-in. Halbarad could not let on how much these tidings worried him, but this also meant that, with the tower door still closed against him, he could not bring the men in to aid their leader.
And even as he looked around him he knew none of them were in any condition to launch an attack; at most he could hope for a defensive strategy if the orcs returned. It pained him, but he knew that they would simply have to wait and regain their strength. Especially in case Aragorn, Legolas and Elrond's sons were pursued.
That was all they could do for now.
It seemed to take a dark eternity to reach the bottom of the tower; the black stairs spiraled ever downwards and gave Aragorn the unpleasant feeling of going underground.
When at last they reached the darkened door, nearly invisible as the passage was lit only by a fading torch, Eression halted and turned.
"I will bring them out to you but keep yourselves out of sight. The orcs will have all retreated underground at the appearance of the Nwelmai, and I have little doubt that if they discover my intentions they will rebel. As long as they do not know their lord is dead, naught should work against us."
Aragorn gave a slight nod and felt a painful jolt in his stomach. He was suddenly afraid of how he would find his brothers. Did Eression even know if they still lived?
He was not given any further time to concern himself with this, however, for the captain pushed the door open and entered the chamber beyond.
Eression felt certain his heart could be heard by every ear in the cavern as he moved with a purposeful stride to the far alcove. The orcs watched him quizzically as he came to a halt before the bound elves who still lay on the floor. The one with the broken leg seemed sunk in a half stupor; the other lay still and was as pale as death.
"They both live," Rogkhar informed the captain, resentment obvious in his voice.
Eression knew the best response was to pretend he didn't care and not bother to explain his actions to the orc. Leaning over he slid an arm under the half-conscious elf's shoulders and pulled him up.
The elf tried weakly to get his good leg beneath him, but the pain of suddenly being upright seemed to be too much and he moaned softly as Eression started pulling him for the chamber door.
A murmur ran through the orcs, who had apparently been hoping that the captain would change his mind about allowing them to kill and devour the prisoners.
Eression reached the door and pulled it open with his free hand. He did not meet Aragorn's gaze as he pushed the elf as carefully as he could into the other's arms.
Aragorn caught Elladan and lowered him gently to the steps. Legolas saw his friend's face turn pale in complete horror. His breath came short as he held his brother limply against him.
"Elladan…" Aragorn whispered. Closing his eyes he buried his face in the elf's hair, unable to say anything further as tears slid down his cheeks. Legolas crouched on the steps beside his friend, a slender hand resting on the back of the man's head.
A moment later the door opened again. Legolas gently took Elrohir from Eression, his heart failing him at the condition of the younger twin. His dark hair was matted with blood, and wounds seen and unseen had left the elf nearly drained of life.
Eression stood in the doorway, still in the dark chamber, his eyes unable to leave the pitiful sight of Aragorn weeping over his brother. Rationalizations of loyalty to his father seemed now as solid as ash. The blame was his. The condemnation in the captain's own heart was ready to drive him mad, but no words could come to his lips.
"Come Eression," Legolas whispered, still holding Elrohir against him. "We must get them away from this place."
Eression gave a short nod then moved forward to the stairs.
Legolas started as the human was suddenly jerked backwards from the doorway. The force of the pull wrenched his hand from the door, causing it to swing back towards Legolas and shield the elf and his friends from sight.
Legolas watched through the slight opening as a wily looking orc pulled Eression bodily back into the room and threw him to the floor amidst the orcs.
"Going somewhere Captain?"
"Sharzak! What is the meaning of this?" Eression demanded, his tone icy with displeasure, but through the crack of the door Legolas could plainly read fear in his eyes.
Sharzak gave a guttural chuckle. "Don't play me the fool, human. You try to trick us but it does you no good."
Rogkhar had no idea what the other orc meant but he caught the idea that they might get a raw meal after all and quickly took Eression by the arms, hauling him to his feet.
"Release me!" Eression commanded sharply. "Lord Kallomore will hear of this!"
"Oh yes…" Sharzak crooned slowly. "But he won't do anything about it, for the Lord Kallomore is dead!" The orcs around him laughed gleefully at this idea. "Aye," Sharzak smiled, long-held designs for power over his captain becoming clear in his pale green eyes. "All dead is the lord of this tower… and we have no bond to follow this human worm."
Eression made an attempt to struggle, but Rogkhar's grip was too strong. The captain watched Sharzak bitterly. He had always known this orc was far more cunning than most… it seemed such an advantage would soon become his undoing.
Crouched silently in the darkness, Legolas heard every word that passed between the orcs and Eression. And despite everything he had been forced to see he knew in his heart he simply could not let the inevitable happen.
He turned to his friend, a sadness overwhelming him as he did.
Aragorn still sat on the stairs, Elladan supported in his arms, and as Legolas lay Elrohir beside his twin he saw that the man was trembling all over. With fingers unexpectedly clumsy, his friend was wrestling with the cruel ropes that bound the elder twin's hands together. He could not get the ropes to loosen and his breath was coming hard as he became frustrated with the task. Gently Legolas slid his knife between Elladan's wrists and first sliced the ropes apart, then cut them from each wrist. He turned and did the same for Elrohir before returning his attention to Aragorn.
The ranger stared down at his brothers, his face dark with emotion, but Legolas caught his attention for a moment, touching him gently on his cheek. Slowly Aragorn looked up, his eyes burning with unshed tears.
"Aragorn," the wood elf said softly. "We will save your brothers yet for they have not passed from this world. But now you must come. We must do something to help Eression." Legolas understood all the many things Aragorn must be feeling about this captain the elf was proposing to save — he could read them in his own heart. But Aragorn also knew that he could not leave any man to these foul creatures, and so he nodded. Gently moving Elladan to rest beside him, he rose unsteadily to his feet.
"Yes my friend," he whispered, drawing out his dagger.
Eression watched in forcibly concealed horror as Sharzak approached him with a long, wicked knife in hand. "Oh but maybe it's too good for you," the orc sneered, his face coming very close to Eression's. "Maybe we shouldn't kill you first… living fare is so much better than when it's dead."
The former captain felt his face pale against his will as the orcs laughed, high and menacing.
"Then…" Sharzak continued, enjoying the approval of those orcs who had formerly kicked him about as 'the runt'. "Then, when you are dead, we'll go find ourselves those prisoners and that elf and ranger who killed Lord Kallomore… a good feast, I'd say. Plenty for all!"
Rogkhar's grip tightened hard on Eression's arms, causing the man to flinch as the bones were pulled perilously close to dislocation.
The sound of the door into the tower suddenly slamming closed drew the orcs attention away. For a moment there was uncertainty as to whether the sound had meant the entrance or the exit of someone, and then the screams of orcs filled the chamber as Aragorn and Legolas broke through the crowds of filthy bodies, working swiftly at close quarters to lay the beasts low like a field of grain at threshing time.
Aragorn fought only with the remains of his sword and his short dagger, but the moment a scimitar dropped to the floor, he took it from the orc and dropped the Numenorean hilt to the floor. The weapon was hideous and blackened his palm, but the blade was sharp. The orcs became a seething mass of temporary chaos; all seemed divided between fighting back against the unknown menace or taking advantage of the dead now all around them.
Legolas spun his daggers into two before him, slicing and then withdrawing before the creatures had time to flinch, and Aragorn swung the heavy orcish blade through three at once. Steadily they beat a path to Eression, fending off attacks and trying to keep their backs to each other as much as possible. They knew the darkness and confusion could only benefit them for so long, and there was still a chance of the door being forced open and the twins discovered.
Rogkhar, not wishing to release his captive, drew Eression back to the wall, clutching the human painfully tight. Beside him Sharzak watched in seething anger and hatred as the elf and ranger broke the ranks towards them.
Legolas gave a cry which Aragorn echoed and as though they had planned their course ahead of time, in the same moment Legolas broke left and Aragorn broke right. An elven knife dragged a short cut across Sharzak's thin chest, sending the orc skittering back like a beetle, cursing loudly.
Simultaneously, Aragorn's scimitar found purchase in Rogkhar's shoulder, the only place he could strike the large orc without hitting Eression. The captain attempted to lean to the side to avoid the blade, but Rogkhar was working for just the opposite goal, trying to get his prey within the path of the danger rather than risk his own hide for a live meal.
Aragorn jerked the blade down the beast's arm causing it to loosen its grip Eression's arm for just a moment. The captain took full advantage of this and twisted to the side.
His face set, Aragorn swung the scimitar at shoulder height and drove it into the orc's chest.
Rogkhar fell dead, bearing Eression to the floor. Aragorn leaned to assist him but at a warning cry from Eression he turned quickly to face a new swarm of orcs attempting to get in on the battle.
Legolas struck again at Sharzak but the small creature dove around the blade and clambered towards his former captain, who was now on the floor with Rogkhar's corpse. Eression tried to jerk his arm from the dead orc's hold but could not release the fingers in time, and Sharzak flew at him with a wild shriek that made Eression's heart stop.
However the scheming orc was still two feet away when it gave a jerk and fell back onto the floor, an elven arrow protruding from its back.
Legolas ran forward, dropping to one knee he quickly freed Eression's arm from Rogkhar's grip. They both rose and ran after Aragorn who was already wending his way towards the door. Taking out his knife Eression helped clear their path.
The three reached it at the same moment and quickly jerked it open yanking it shut with a slam. Eression pulled the bar down to latch it.
"It will not hold them long," he warned them quickly. "The main gate has been closed, and though I am now the only one who can open it, the orcs there cannot have helped hearing the commotion. They will not let us through."
"Is there an alternative route?" Legolas asked.
"Yes and no. There is, but our chances of it being unguarded at the other end are slender at best."
"Why?" Aragorn's tone was urgent.
Eression opened his mouth, and then realized there was no time for explanations. "Follow me."
TBC…